‘Flame of Change’ initiative reaches 70,000 people across 175 villages, cuts firewood use and creates rural livelihood opportunities
New Delhi, October 6, 2026: Bajaj Electricals Foundation, the CSR arm of Bajaj Electricals Limited, has been honoured with the Mahatma Award for Affordable and Clean Energy 2026 for its flagship ‘Flame of Change’ Improved Cookstove Project, recognising its efforts to promote cleaner cooking practices and sustainable development in rural communities.
The initiative provides rural households with fuel-efficient improved cookstoves as an alternative to traditional biomass cooking. By reducing dependence on firewood, the project is helping families save time, improve indoor cooking conditions and reduce their environmental impact.
The award was received by Ms. Pooja Anant Bajaj, Chairperson, Bajaj Electricals Foundation, along with members of the CSR team. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Kiran Bedi, former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and India’s first woman IPS officer; Santrupt Misra, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; and Amit Sachdeva, Founder of the Mahatma Award and Chairperson of Mahatma Foundation.
The recognition assumes special significance in 2026, which marks the centenary year of the Bajaj Group. The Foundation said the award reflects the Group’s long-standing commitment to nation-building, social responsibility and values-based leadership inspired by the Gandhian ideals of its founder, Shri Jamnalal Bajaj.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Pooja Anant Bajaj, Chairperson, Bajaj Electricals Foundation, said the initiative reflects the organisation’s belief that sustainable development must benefit both people and the planet.
“Meaningful development must uplift both people and the planet. The Flame of Change initiative is an extension of that legacy. When a woman in Karauli can save seven hours a day and breathe cleaner air in her own kitchen, those values are truly at work,” she said.
Under the Flame of Change programme, the Foundation has distributed 14,000 improved cookstoves across Karauli and Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, and Jawhar and Vikramgad in Maharashtra. The initiative has reached more than 70,000 people across over 175 villages, while also contributing to rural livelihoods by creating 47 women entrepreneurs and 48 rural employment opportunities.
The impact of the project has also been independently assessed. An ISO 14064-compliant carbon and social impact assessment covering 8,000 cookstoves distributed in Rajasthan recorded a 73% reduction in household firewood consumption. The assessment also found that households could save approximately seven hours a day previously spent on cooking and collecting fuel.
The Rajasthan component is projected to deliver carbon mitigation of approximately 222,711 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) over the project’s five-year lifespan. A similar impact assessment covering the remaining 6,000 cookstoves in Maharashtra is currently underway.
The Foundation said the recognition reinforces its commitment to developing solutions that combine clean energy, environmental sustainability, improved health and livelihoods, while addressing everyday challenges faced by rural communities.
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